According to John Locke, what is the social contract?

According to John Locke, what is the social contract?

• A. A promise between citizens
• B. A concept where people give up some rights for government protection
• C. An economic agreement among states
• D. A legal document establishing governments

Answer: (B)

The social contract, as articulated by John Locke, is fundamentally about the relationship between individuals and their government. Locke proposed that humans in a state of nature would form a society based on mutual agreements to create a government that protects their natural rights—namely life, liberty, and property. In this theoretical contract, individuals consent to give up some of their freedoms and submit to the authority of the government in exchange for the protection of their remaining rights. This concept serves as the foundation for a legitimate government: the idea that the authority of the state derives from the consent of the governed. By agreeing to this social contract, individuals ensure their safety and security through collective governance, which justifies the power of the state and holds it accountable to its citizens. The other options do not capture Locke's fundamental idea of the social contract. While a promise between citizens could reflect a social agreement, it lacks the emphasis on governmental protection and rights inherent in Locke's theory. An economic agreement among states does not reflect the political and philosophical aspects of Locke's views on individual rights and governance. Lastly, a legal document establishing governments may describe the formal structures of government but misses the broader philosophical meaning of voluntary agreement and mutual protection inherent in the social contract concept as articulated by

The social contract, as articulated by John Locke, is fundamentally about the relationship between individuals and their government. Locke proposed that humans in a state of nature would form a society based on mutual agreements to create a government that protects their natural rights—namely life, liberty, and property. In this theoretical contract, individuals consent to give up some of their freedoms and submit to the authority of the government in exchange for the protection of their remaining rights.

This concept serves as the foundation for a legitimate government: the idea that the authority of the state derives from the consent of the governed. By agreeing to this social contract, individuals ensure their safety and security through collective governance, which justifies the power of the state and holds it accountable to its citizens.

The other options do not capture Locke's fundamental idea of the social contract. While a promise between citizens could reflect a social agreement, it lacks the emphasis on governmental protection and rights inherent in Locke's theory. An economic agreement among states does not reflect the political and philosophical aspects of Locke's views on individual rights and governance. Lastly, a legal document establishing governments may describe the formal structures of government but misses the broader philosophical meaning of voluntary agreement and mutual protection inherent in the social contract concept as articulated by